Thermostatically-operated shutter



Aug. 12, 1930. J. A. KINNARD v 1,772,722'

THERMOSTAT ICALLY OPERATED SHUTTER Filed Nov. 1'7, 192a" 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Summer j l mm GttorncuS- Aug. 12, 1930. J. A. KINNARD THERMOSTATICALLY OPERATED. SHUT TER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Nov. 17, 1928 LIttorucg Patented Aug. 12, 1930 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES A. KINNARD, or mrrnorr, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE neuron SYLPHON COMPANY, or KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A oonronarxon or DELAWARE THERMOS'I'ATICALLY-OPER ATED SHUTTER Application filed November 17, 1928. Serial No 320,159.

- vThis invention relates to means for the thermostatic control of radiator shutters for automobiles.

It has been proposed heretofore to operate a shutter adjacent an automobile radiator by means of a thermostat to regulate the flow of air through the radiator. Such thermo stats have generally been incorporated with the shutter in a unitary structure,-as in the so-called Winterfrontl type, or have been built into the power plant and connected in some suitable way with the shutter, thethermostat being usually placed in one of the pipes provided for circulating the cooling medium between the radiator and the cooling jacket of the motor. In the latter instance,.

it is necessary to insert the thermostatic element within the circulating pipe in some manner, so that specially constructed parts are required. Furthermore, in such constructions ithas been necessary to employ some sort of operating r'od, stem, or the like, extending from the thermostatic element within the circulating pipe to the outside for connection with the shutter. For this purpose a packed sliding fit is necessary, which is not only expensive but also a continuous source of trouble since leakage will result despite all practicable precautions, due to wear of the packing employed, etc. Besides,

' the frictional resistance of the packing to the movement of the operating rod is objectionable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a thermostatic shutter control wherein the thermostatic element is mounted directly on the motor and directly controls the shutter in accordance with the temperature in the motor jacket rather than that in other parts of the cooling system.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means to mount the thermostat and subject it to the temperature of the motor, which means is simple, economical and durable.

A further object is to provide novel-means whereby the thermostatic element may be subjected to the temperature of the medium within the cooling medium and connected to operate the shutter outside of the cooling system without destroying the continuity of the walls of said system and without-the use of packing around sliding operating rods, etc.,

thus eliminatin wear and consequent leakageand also friction.

Other objects will appear hereinafter as the description of the invention proceeds.

Two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be expressly understood that said drawings are for purposes of illustration only'and are not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the appended claims for this purpose. v In said drawings', Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of an automobile equipped with a thermostatic shutter control embodying the invent1on;-

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a'thermostat,

shutter and operating connections therebe-v tween;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the thermostat; Fig. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a section 'on the line 5-5' of.Fig. 4; and

Fig. is a sectional view of the thermo stat on the line 66 of Fig. 5, togetherwith a portion of the shutter and operating meclianism therefor. Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts, there is shown diagrammatically a portion of an automobile including a motor 1 of any suitable type. Said motor is shown as provided with the usual cooling system, which may comprise, forexample, a cooling jacket 2 providing a space 3 surrounding the cylinders and adapted to contain a suitable cooling medium, which space is connected by means of a pipe or hose 4 to the tank 5 of the automobile radiator. A series of small pipes 6 connect the tank '5 with a tank 7 at the bottom of the radiator, andthe latter communicates through a pipe or hose 8 with the cooling jacket of the motor. It is to be expressly understood that the above described system constitutes no part of the invention,

- but is merely illustrative of one of the types of cooling systems commonly employed and .well known in the art; v

medium circulating through the system above described, such as water, is cooled as it'passes through the pipes 6 from the tank to the tank 7 by means of a flowof air around said pipes, and this flow may be suitably controlled b means of a shutter of any suitable type. eferring toFig. 2, such a shutter may comprise, for example a plurality of horizontally disposed shutter elements 9, rovided at their ends with pivot pins 10 w ereby said elements may be 0 ratively mounted in any suitable frame got shown). Any suitable means for rotatin the shutters from their open position to c osed 'tion, or vice versa, ma be employed, and

m the form shown each 0 said elements 9 is provided at each ofits forward corners with spin 11, all ofthe pins 11 at one end of all of the shutter elements-en aging a vertically and laterally movable ro 12. A shaft '13, journaled at its ends in the shutter frame (not shown), carries apair ofarms 14 which are provided with slots 15 engaging pins 16 on the rods. 12. It will be seen that when the as Suitab shaft 18 is rotat d, the arms 14 act on the rods 12 to rotate the shutter elements 9 about their ivot 'ut it is to be understood that the shutter construction shown and described is illustrative only and that any suitable construction may be employed.

e means are provided whereby the shaft 13 may be rotated to operate theshutter in accordance with the temperature of'the cooling medium in the cooling system, and

-, prehrably in' accordance with the temperature of the medium in the space 3. To this lid a thermostat is employed, preferably of the corrugated bellows type, which is subto the tem erature of the water or other, medium wi said space, said thermosta't being mounted directl on the motor itself. The location-of the t ermostat will dependupon the design of the power plant and the relative location ofthe various elements thereof, In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, an opening 17 is rovided in the front of the motor jacket, an ahous-' ing 18 of any suitable shape and construction is secured to said motor surrounding the opening 17 by means such as bolts 19. aid housing 18 is provided with an opening 20 in which is inserted the thermostatic element, so

I that the latter is subjected to the temperature of the cooling medium in the jacket.

Preferably, the thermostat employed isof the cup type, comprising a rigid cup having therein a collapsible and extensible wall which is secured to a flange of said cup and forms therewith a collapsible and expansible thermostatic vessel. The rigid cup, when inserted in the opening 20, may be detachably or pins 10 and to open or close the shutter,

permanently secured to the 1 8, but in either .event it constitutes a ri permanent rt of the walls of the coohng system,

all o the movable elements of the thermostat being outside said walls. In the form shown somewhat di atically in 3 am 'd thermostat in udes them 21 having a iiange 22, said cup being inse ,in the opening 20 and said flange being secured to the housing 18 by means of bolts 23.. Said cup 21 is pro-' vided with an internal flange 24 .to which is secured in any suitable manner as by solder- 1 ing one end of a flexible co -wall25, the other endof said wall having either integral therewith or secured thereto in any suitable manner a movable head 26. The

space betweenthe flexible wall 25 and cup 21 .constitutes an enclosed chamber .which'may be 'ally filled with a suitable volatile. liqui whereby a thermostatic element 18 formed.

The head adapted in any the shaft 13 controlling the shutter;

any suitable means may be em loyed, it is preferred to connect said head irectly with the shaft by means of asystem of rods and levers and to this end an operatin rod 27 is secured to the head 26 and passes t rough an opening 28 in a plug 29in the to of the on 21. Rod 27 is pivotally connected at 30 wit 230f the thermostat may be suitablemanner to o%ifite 'le one arm 31 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 32 in any suitable manner on the motor, the other arm 33 of which is pivotally connected at 34 with one end of a connecting rod 35. Inthe form shown, the rod 35 extends u wardly and is curved intermediate its en to extend horizontally through a tube 36 passin through the tank 5, and the. other end. 0 the rod is pivotally connected at 37 with an arm 38 fast on the shaft 13. It will be apparent that as the thermostat expands cooling'system is substantially the same as previously described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3, and like reference characters are employed to designate the corresponding elements. A similar shutter, including the pivoted shutter elements 9 and the operating rod 12, islikewise shown, thelatter being opershaft 13. In the present instance, however, the thermostatic housing 18 is mounted on the top of the motor and preferably serves also as a part of the circulating system to ated as before by means of arms 14 fast on a Which the hose-4 may be connected, an out} let 39 being formed at one side of said housing-for this purpose. The thermostat and the arrangement of connections between said thermostat and the shaft 13 is likewise substantially the same, except that in this location of the thermostat it is unnecessary to bend the connecting rod 35.

The use of a cup type thermostat makes possible the elimination of all parts having sliding fits, prevents leakage, and eliminates friction. The stationary wall of the thermostat may be secured tightly to the housing, forming a joint of permanent character, so that'the circulating s stem is substantially continuous and comp etely closed, whereas the movable wall of the thermostat is freely movable, external to said circulating system and is connected to operate the shutter. Mounting the thermostat directly on the motorprovides accurate control of the shutter in accordance with the temperature ofthe motor itself, and eliminates the. necessity for the expensive and more complicated constructions required in systems wherein the thermostat is located in the circulating pipes, while the simplicity of the'design-and the economy and durability of, a construction embodying the invention will be apparent. Ob-

viously, the invention may be applied to other forms of cooling systems than that described herein, and likewise the partlcular form and arrangement of the thermostat shutter, and the connecting systems shown in the drawings, may be varied, since any one or all of the individual elements may be replaced by other similar elements known to the art. I I

Therefore, While only two embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated in the drawings, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of a variety of mechanical expressions, many of which will now occur to those skilled in the art, and that changes may be made in the form, detail and arrangement of the various parts withoutjdeparting. from the spirit of the invention. Reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is;

1. In an automobile including a hydrocar-.

bon motor provided with atemperature regulating system including a cooling acket for said'motor, a radiator,and means interconnecting said jacket and radiator to constitute 'a-circulating system, a shutter adjacent said radiator and adjustable to screen the same to a varying extent, a housing directly communicating with said jacket, a thermostatic device mounted in said housing and including a collapsible and expansible vessel subjected to the temperature within said jacket.

and having a movable wall external to said system, and means operatively connecting said well with said shutter;

2. In an automobile including a hydrocarbon motor provided with a temperature regulating system including -a cooling jacket for.

said motor, a radiator, and means interconbon motor provided with a temperature regulating system including a cooling jacket for said motor, a radiator, and means interconnecting said jacket and radiator to constitute a circulating system, a shutter adjacent said radiator and adjustable to,screen the sameto a varying extent, .a cup thermostat comprising a rigid cup forming a part of the walls of said-circulating system and a collapsible and extensible wall having a movable head external to said system, and means operatively con necting said head and said shutter.

4. In an automobile including a hydroear bon motor provided with a temperature regulating system including a cooling jacket for said motor, a radiator, and means interconnecting said jacket and radiator to constitute a circulating system, a shutter adjacent said radiator and adjustable to screen the same to a varying extent, a rigid cup forming a part of the wallsof said system, a collapsible and extensible Wall secured tosaid cup external to said system and constituting with said cup a thermostatic vessel, said wall having a movable head, and means including a rod operatively connected to said head and shutter for operating said shutter in accordance with the temperature within said system.

' 5. Apparatus of the class described comprising a hydrocarbon motor having a cooling jacket, a radiator, a shutter adjacent said radiator, said jacket having an opening therein, a housing mounted on said jacket adjacent said opening, a thermostat in said housing, said thermostat having a rigid immovable outer wall subjected to the cooling medium in said housing, and means including i pivoted levers directly connecting said thermostat and said shutter- Whereby movement of said thermostat directly actuates said shutter.

6. Apparatus of the prising a hydrocarbon motor having a cooling jacket, a radiator, a shutter adjacent said radiator, said jacket having an opening therein, a housing mounted on said jacket adjacent Class described comsaid opening, a on thermostat inserted in said housing, said t iermostat having amovable head external to the cooling medium in said housing and means operatively connecti said head and said shutter.

, Apparatus oi the class described com prising a hydrocarbon motor having a coolin jacket, a radiator, a shutter adjacent said ra iator, said jacket having an opening therein, a housing mounted on said jacket adjacent said opening, a cup thermostat inserted in said housing, said thermostat having a movable head external to thecoolin medium in said housing, and means inclu ing pivoted levers directly connecting said head and said shutter whereby movement of said therin jacket, a radiator, a shutter adjacent said ra iator, said jacket having an opening there- 'in, a housing mounted on said jacket adjacent said 0 ning", a cup inserted in said housing, a flexi le wall secured to said cup external to the cooling medium in said housing and forming with said cup a thermostatic vessel, and

' means including pivoted levers directly con necting said wall and said shutter whereby ,movement of said wall directly actuates said shutter in accordance wih the temperature within said housing.

10. Apparatus o the class described comprisingka hydrocarbon motor having a cooling jac et, a radiator, a shutter adjacent said radiator, said jacket having an opening therein, ahousing mounted on said jacket adjacent said 0 ening, a cup inserted'i i said housing, a exible w'all secured to sald cup external to the cooling medium in said housing and forming with said cup a thermostatic vessel, a connecting rod, and means operatively connecting said rod with said wall and with said shutter.

11. In an automobile including a hydrocarbon motor provided with a temperature regulating system including a cooling jacket for said motor, a radiator, means interconnecting said jacket and radiator to constitute a circulating system, a shutter adjacent said radiator and adjustable to screen the same to a varying v extent, means mounted on said jacket and subjected to the temperature of the medium therein for operating said shutter, said means said motor, a-radiator, means interconnecting said jacket and radiator to constitute a circulating system, a shutter adjacent said radiator and ad ustable to screen the same to a varying extent, means mounted onsaid'jacket and su jected to the temperature of the medium therein for operating said shutter, said means includin a rigid cup forming a part of the fluidcon ing walls of said system, a collapsible and extensible wall secured to said can external to said system and constituting with said cup at thermostatic vessel, said wall having a movable head, and means mechanically connected to said head and shutter for operat -ing said shutter in accordance with the temperature within said system. 1 13. In an automobile including a hydrocarbon motor provided with a temperature regulating system including a cooling jacket for said motor, a radiator, means interconnecting said jacket and radiatorto constitute a circulating s stem, a shutter adjacent said radiator and ad ustable to screen the same to a'varying extent, means mounted on said jacket and su jected to the temperature of the medium therein for operating said shutter, said means including a rigid cup forming a part of the fluid retaining walls of said system, a colla sible and extensible wall having a mova le head located within said cup on the opposite side thereof from said fluid and forming with said cup a thermostatic chamber, and means connectm'g said movable head with a said shutter.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

JAMES A. KINNARD.

including a cup thermostat having a rigid 

